Educational Initiatives

About the Role

As the Director of Operations, you will play a pivotal leadership role in scaling and delivering Mindspark-EI's flagship adaptive learning program-across partner states.

You will define the operational strategy, lead large-scale implementation, and build high-performing, cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality education aligned with national goals and EI's mission.

This is a role for a strategic and entrepreneurial leader who thrives in complex environments, communicates with clarity and influence, and brings a strong commitment to impact at scale.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Program Vision

- Define and execute the operational strategy for Mindspark across multiple states in alignment with national education priorities and EI's long-term goals.

- Translate strategic vision into actionable plans with clear KPIs, leveraging data and feedback to improve effectiveness.

- Identify new markets and design sustainable delivery models for diverse contexts (government, CSR, NGO).

- Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills to navigate ambiguity and multi-stakeholder complexity.

- Operate with a visionary mindset, anticipating future trends and building long-term roadmaps for growth.

Government Relations & Strategic Partnerships

- Serve as the senior-most representative to state education departments, district officials, and policy makers.

- Lead MoU negotiations, partnership structuring, and implementation planning with government stakeholders.

- Represent EI at policy summits, donor forums, and government platforms-articulating Mindspark's impact and vision.

- Build and manage high-value partnerships with development organizations, CSR partners, and philanthropies.

- Demonstrate exceptional communication and public speaking skills with diverse audiences-from grassroots educators to senior officials.

- Navigate stakeholder dynamics with empathy, influence, and cultural sensitivity.

Large-Scale Program Implementation

- Oversee high-quality program delivery across thousands of schools and multiple states, ensuring fidelity to the Mindspark model.

- Manage logistics for deployment-devices, software, training, and tech support.

- Establish robust quality assurance frameworks and monitoring systems to track progress and learning outcomes.

- Standardize scalable processes using tested implementation frameworks.

- Bring a bias for execution, ensuring timelines, budgets, and outcomes are met with excellence.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

- Build and lead a distributed team of 50+ operations professionals with clear structures and accountability.

- Drive hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management systems that foster continuous growth.

- Promote a culture of excellence, ownership, and collaboration across central and field teams.

- Work cross-functionally with product, tech, and research to deliver unified program outcomes.

- Lead with emotional intelligence and the ability to inspire performance across diverse geographies and backgrounds.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

- Ensure transparent, high-quality reporting to government partners, donors, and internal leadership.

- Proactively manage risks and challenges through structured problem-solving and responsive communication.

- Cultivate trust through clear, timely, and constructive engagement, even in high-pressure environments.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

- Lead innovation in operational strategy and delivery-testing new approaches, technologies, and processes.

- Pilot scalable initiatives that improve efficiency and effectiveness.

- Foster a team culture that values experimentation, learning, and data-informed decision-making.

Requirements

Essential Qualifications

- 12-15 years of progressive experience in large-scale, multi-location program management.

- At least 7 years in mid-to-senior leadership roles with direct team and strategy responsibility.

- Proven success in scaling programs from pilot to full implementation.

- Demonstrated experience in managing government partnerships and working across geographies.

- Strong stakeholder and donor engagement experience.

- Experience managing large teams (30+), building collaborative cultures, and driving outcomes.

- Fluency in English and Hindi (spoken and written).

Locations: Bangalore / Ahmedabad / Delhi.

Comfortable with extensive travel across India even to remote regions.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with state education programs, EdTech platforms, or government partnerships.

Familiarity with India's education system and public sector dynamics.

Exposure to impact measurement, data-driven decision making, and evidence-based program improvement.

Experience with project management methodologies and tools (e., Agile, JIRA).

Fluency in a regional language is a plus.